Indonesia arrests 8 in fires causing choking haze

By KASPARMAN PILIANG, Associated Press
| 3:50 a.m.June 25, 2013

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, center, holds an assault rifle as he inspects the task force that will be deployed to help battling forest fires on Sumatra island, at Halim Perdanakusumah airbase in Jakarta, Indonesia, Tuesday, June 25, 2013. Yudhoyono apologized Monday to Singapore and Malaysia for record-setting pollution caused by forest fires on Sumatra island that have sent massive plumes of smog across the sea to the neighboring countries. From left to right are Air Force Ch
— AP

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, center, holds an assault rifle as he inspects the task force that will be deployed to help battling forest fires on Sumatra island, at Halim Perdanakusumah airbase in Jakarta, Indonesia, Tuesday, June 25, 2013. Yudhoyono apologized Monday to Singapore and Malaysia for record-setting pollution caused by forest fires on Sumatra island that have sent massive plumes of smog across the sea to the neighboring countries. From left to right are Air Force Ch
/ AP

Firefighters and military personnel part of the task force that will be deployed to help battling forest fires on Sumatra island, sit on the floor as they wait for a briefing at Halim Perdanakusumah airbase in Jakarta, Indonesia, Tuesday, June 25, 2013. President Susilo Bamban Yudhoyono apologized Monday to Singapore and Malaysia for record-setting pollution caused by forest fires on Sumatra island that have sent massive plumes of smog across the sea to the neighboring countries. (AP Photo/Dita — AP

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Firefighters and military personnel part of the task force that will be deployed to help battling forest fires on Sumatra island, sit on the floor as they wait for a briefing at Halim Perdanakusumah airbase in Jakarta, Indonesia, Tuesday, June 25, 2013. President Susilo Bamban Yudhoyono apologized Monday to Singapore and Malaysia for record-setting pollution caused by forest fires on Sumatra island that have sent massive plumes of smog across the sea to the neighboring countries. (AP Photo/Dita
/ AP

Indonesian soldiers, part of the task force that will be deployed to help battling forest fires on Sumatra island, wait for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to give his speech at Halim Perdanakusumah airbase in Jakarta, Indonesia, Tuesday, June 25, 2013. Yudhoyono apologized Monday to Singapore and Malaysia for record-setting pollution caused by forest fires on Sumatra island that have sent massive plumes of smog across the sea to the neighboring countries. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)— AP

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Indonesian soldiers, part of the task force that will be deployed to help battling forest fires on Sumatra island, wait for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to give his speech at Halim Perdanakusumah airbase in Jakarta, Indonesia, Tuesday, June 25, 2013. Yudhoyono apologized Monday to Singapore and Malaysia for record-setting pollution caused by forest fires on Sumatra island that have sent massive plumes of smog across the sea to the neighboring countries. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
/ AP

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono holds an assault rifle as he inspects the task force that will be deployed to help battle forest fires on Sumatra island, at Halim Perdanakusumah airbase in Jakarta, Indonesia, Tuesday, June 25, 2013. Yudhoyono apologized Monday to Singapore and Malaysia for record-setting pollution caused by forest fires on Sumatra island that have sent massive plumes of smog across the sea to the neighboring countries. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)— AP

+Read Caption

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono holds an assault rifle as he inspects the task force that will be deployed to help battle forest fires on Sumatra island, at Halim Perdanakusumah airbase in Jakarta, Indonesia, Tuesday, June 25, 2013. Yudhoyono apologized Monday to Singapore and Malaysia for record-setting pollution caused by forest fires on Sumatra island that have sent massive plumes of smog across the sea to the neighboring countries. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
/ AP

PEKANBARU, Indonesia 
Indonesian authorities have arrested eight farmers for setting illegal fires on Sumatra island to clear land after numerous blazes created a thick haze choking parts of Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia, police said Tuesday.

The farmers were arrested Monday and Tuesday after being caught "red-handed," said local police spokesman Lt. Col. Hermansyah. He did not say whether they were employed by some companies that have been accused of deliberately starting the fires.

"The smoke has hurt their throats and eyes," said Hermansyah, who like many Indonesians uses one name. "Visibility there is really bad."

A day after apologizing to neighboring Singapore and Malaysia, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono deployed 2,000 additional personnel Tuesday to fight the fires that have affected air quality and caused respiratory problems among some people. He has called for an investigation, but said it appeared the fires were being caused by natural and human factors.

Indonesia's environmental minister, Balthasar Kambuaya, told reporters Sunday that authorities were investigating eight plantation companies that may have started the fires.

Riau forestry official Ahmad Saeroji estimated the burned area was around 2,000 hectares (4,942 acres). Satellite pictures have detected about 200 fires on plantations in the area.

Authorities warned motorists and fishermen in parts of the province to stay home this week due to poor visibility from the haze. However, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency reported Tuesday that it was raining in the provincial capital of Pekanbaru and in several hotspots after the government deployed aircraft for cloud seeding.

Each year, forest fires on Sumatra and Borneo islands smother parts of nearby Singapore and Malaysia in haze. The Indonesian government usually blames plantation owners and traditional farmers for illegally setting fires as a cheap way to clear land.